Watson finished dressing Robert in time for him to see the doctor off. "Dr. Lenox, I wanted to apologize for earlier and also thank you for letting Cora sleep. If we'd woke her, she would've been so embarrassed."

The doctor smiled. "I was young and newly married once, too, and two weeks away from my Adelaide would've felt like two lifetimes. I will come to check on you once every couple of days to make sure you're healing properly, but for now, you may sleep where you wish as long as you are mindful of that injured shoulder." He struck a stern tone with the grinning young man. "Just keep it to sleeping, at least for now. We'll see how long it takes for you to get the strength back in that joint before you can get out of that sling and start increasing your… ahem… activity level. I mean it, Your Lordship." The doctor got into the carriage and then turned back to Robert. "Give my regards to your charming bride."

"I will, Doctor, thank you." Robert said as the carriage began to move.

As he turned to go back in the house he saw his sister, Rosamund, riding her favorite horse, Obsidian. Whenever she was back at Downton, she loved to go for a morning ride and just enjoy the countryside. "Good morning, my naughty, naughty little brother. Disobeying Doctor's orders, are we?" she teased as she dismounted to walk and talk with Robert. "Who would have ever thought my little brother - the one who used to run and tell Mama every time I did anything even a little darling - would turn into such a rebel and be sneaking a woman into his bed?" She laughed as he rolled his eyes.

"Don't get hysterical, Rosamund," he said with an edge of exasperation in his voice. "I went to bed with my wife, and here you are ready to cast me as some sort of Casanova. Alas, dear sister, I fear that you are exaggerating again."

"Oh really? 'Two weeks is an eternity', is it?" she scoffed. "And you say I exaggerate!"

"How did you know about that?" Robert asked. "Papa didn't tell you, did he?"

"No," Rosamund smirked. "but he did tell Mama and telling Mama is like telling the world."

"I hope no one says anything about it to Cora," Robert said. He didn't want her to feel awkward. He had gotten everyone to leave his room before they woke her that morning and then he'd gotten up and been examined in a guest room so she could be spared waking up to find Dr. Lenox, Watson, and her father-in-law staring at her while she lay clinging to her husband.

"Why? Afraid she'll be so andy with you that she might never sleep with you again?" his sister laughed.

"I was actually concerned for her feelings, but I suppose there is also that to bear in mind." he said indignantly.

"Well, you can put your thoughts, and whatever else, at ease. No one is going to antagonize your Cora." Rosamund said with a rare tone of sincerity. "We're all just pleased you're getting along and spending time alone together. For a while it looked like each of you inhabited your own separate universe the way you avoided each other." She looked at Robert and smiled. "We're all glad you and Cora are sorting things out - even Mama."

"Shouldn't there be a celestial choir heralding a miracle of this magnitude?" he said with a huff.

Rosamund shook her head. "Mama doesn't dislike her that much." Robert's expression spoke volumes about how much he disagreed and his sister thought it best to change the subject. "You'll never guess who I saw on my ride. Lord Anderson Wrenquist. He's going to come and stay with us to keep you company." Robert's reaction surprised her. "Oh come, come now, you should be happy to have such a devoted friend who's concerned for you well being."

"I know, but I have company. I don't like wasting my friends' time." Robert said coolly. "Where's that wife of his?"

"Visiting her relatives at one of the estates on the other side of Ripon." Rosamund said with a tone of disbelief.

"Well, at least that's something." he said with a sigh as he and his sister walked back to the house to get ready for Anderson's arrival.

That afternoon, as Robert stood outside watching the carriage approach, he was lost in thought. He knew Rosamund was right. He should've been pleased his old friend was coming to help him, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he preferred to be tended to by his wife. He hadn't expected to take such delight in spending so much time with her doing menial things. Just sitting beside her and watching her as she read to him had become such a treat. He didn't know how he'd handle going back to spending his days without her and he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to.

And then there was Anderson - incredibly handsome and, if the gossip was to be believed, unhappily married Anderson. Robert wasn't all that anxious to have him hanging around while his wife was away, with Robert injured and stuck looking very un-dashing with his arm in a sling, and his lovely Cora held to him by a sense of attachment that was still so fragile. He was also remembered about how, during their days in school, Anderson was always quite a hit with the ladies whereas Robert himself had never had much luck in that department. Cora's beauty would garner her the attention it always did, as would the unspoken knowledge that this pretty and intelligent girl hadn't married for love and might be more receptive to the idea of a little extra-marital romance. He'd done his best to dismiss these notions of course. Anderson was married now. That had to have dulled his search for attractive ladies at least slightly and Cora seemed to be nothing but faithful and devoted. Even so, the jealousy crept back despite all his efforts and when Anderson kissed Cora's hand when they were introduced, Robert felt his jaw tense.